1
as in misleading
tending or having power to deceive
in his deceptive answer about the vehicle's history, the salesman said that the used car had never been hit by another car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fraudulent
given to or marked by cheating and deception
a mail-order firm indicted for deceptive business practices
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of deceptive
Despite its deceptive simplicity, A Narcissist’s Prayer accurately speaks to the wide variety of psychological tactics narcissists deploy to disarm and control their victims.
—
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
The ruling marks a victory for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who alleged O'Rourke's group Powered by People engaged in bribery and deceptive fundraising.
—Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Aug. 2025
From feigning ignorance to minimizing violence and praising its perpetrators, U.S. governments and presidents have long used deceptive rhetoric to legitimize the violence of leaders and countries the U.S. supports.
—Esther Brito Ruiz, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2025
Falter, 28, is a deceptive lefty under team control through 2028 who is enjoying his best season, with a 3.73 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 22 starts.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2025
The ruling marks a victory for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who alleged O'Rourke's group Powered by People engaged in bribery and deceptive fundraising.
—Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Aug. 2025
From feigning ignorance to minimizing violence and praising its perpetrators, U.S. governments and presidents have long used deceptive rhetoric to legitimize the violence of leaders and countries the U.S. supports.
—Esther Brito Ruiz, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2025
Falter, 28, is a deceptive lefty under team control through 2028 who is enjoying his best season, with a 3.73 ERA and a 1.18 WHIP in 22 starts.
—The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for deceptive
Recent Examples of Synonyms for deceptive
Adjective
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Candidates flagged for fraudulent behavior had a 27% lower quality of hire than their honest peers, according to the same study.—
Michael Fitzsimmons,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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Jones was charged with three felonies — theft of a credit card, criminal use of personal identification information, and fraudulent use of a credit card over two times within six months, the Tallahassee Democrat reported.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
8 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Fleeing from violence and a dark history, a man adopts a false identity looking to start over in the idyllic Canary Islands' town of Arcadia, where a new love interest could change his life — if his past doesn't come back to haunt him.—
Veronica Villafañe,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
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During the week, Fernande lived alone in the family’s Paris apartment under a false name: Danielle Deschampe.—
Marc Snegg,
Time,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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On bright sunny days in summer, look for a shady place where light intensity is reduced.—
Anthony A. Ciuffa,
Outdoor Life,
7 Aug. 2025
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Once they’ve been admitted, users have access to profiles of men annotated with information such as background checks and dating reviews; men with shady dating histories are rated with red flags.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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At the heart of Trump’s complaints is a familiar refrain: The media is not only biased, but dishonest, corrupt and dangerous.—
Stephanie A,
The Conversation,
4 Aug. 2025
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So, in that moment, the things that are coming out of my mouth are not dishonest.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
22 July 2025
Adjective
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The radio-wavelength image shows that the black hole’s jet is not straight, but is crooked with three distinct bends.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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In one image, Scales, who had won a Military Cross for his bravery at the front, wears a crooked grimace that suggests recent anguish.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
13 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Deceptive.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/deceptive. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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